Rapid prototyping of ceramic articles

Abstract

A method for forming ceramic articles for prototypes that involves the use of metal particles or metal-coated ceramic particles that are formed into ceramic articles using a laser engineered net shaping process. The metal particles or metal coating on the ceramic particles facilitates bonding between the ceramic particles to enable quick manufacture of ceramic articles using the laser engineered net shaping process. The ceramic articles may be ceramic core prototypes and may be used in a variety of different industries.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method for forming a ceramic article comprising the steps of:
 providing a powder comprising a ceramic powder and at least one metallic material forming a coating on the ceramic powder; 
 applying a laser energy source to the powder to melt the at least one metallic material forming the coating to bond the powder and form the ceramic article; 
 removing at least a portion of the at least one metallic material forming the coating; and 
 sintering the ceramic article. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metallic material is a metallic powder and is mixed with the ceramic powder in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 15% by volume of the total volume of the mixture. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the metallic material is a metallic powder and is mixed with the ceramic powder in an amount of from about 2 to about 10% by volume of the total volume of the mixture. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one metallic powder is a low melting-point non-ferrous alloy. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ceramic powder is selected from cerium oxide, graphite, silicon, alumina, zirconia, glass, ferrites, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, sapphire, cordierite, mullite, magnesium oxide, zirconium oxide, boron carbide, aluminum oxide, tin oxide, cryolite powders, scandium oxide, hafnium oxide, yttrium oxide, spinel, garnet, lanthanum fluoride, calcium fluoride, boron nitride, steatite, lava, aluminum nitride, iron oxide, quartz, porcelain, forsterite, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the laser energy source is selected from a pulse neodymium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser, a CO 2  laser, or a continuous wave neodymium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ceramic article is a ceramic article prototype. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the ceramic article prototype is a ceramic core. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the metallic material is removed during sintering of the ceramic article.